The transformation of the window in the little plants that are able to produce electricity with the help of photovoltaic technology will soon be possible thanks to innovations from Italy. In fact, recently the Italian Institute of Technology introduced the intelligent low-cost windows made of graphene.

The project was led by Professor Francesco Bonaccorso with IIT Aldo Di Carlo at the University of Tor Vergata.

The industry for years is seeking solutions to create intelligent windows and other surfaces exposed to sunlight, which would be capable of producing electricity only with the help of the sun, but without simultaneous blocking sunlight which occurs in traditional photovoltaic cells.

The new materials based on the technology of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), which is already used in traditional photovoltaic panels, but innovation developed by Italian researchers replacing platinum with graphene used in the panels.

This solution reduces the cost of production of about 10 thousand times. The first prototypes of the module area of about 50 square centimeters have already been tested, and are comparable with the results of traditional photovoltaic panel, the researchers said. Bonaccorso explains:

“We are currently developing photovoltaic modules made especially for graphene. This module will be translucent and cheaper than photovoltaic panels that are currently on the market. The strength of our product is the simple scalability to an industrial scale and simplicity with which the graphene as a kind of ink can be put into existing industrial context without additional significant investments in equipment or infrastructure”.